A browser is a computer application program that enables a user to browse or otherwise access web pages and/or other resources such as, e.g., web-based applications, network storage, etc. (hereinafter generally referred to as resources). The user may access a resource, e.g., by specifying the resource by its universal resource identifier (URI) or “clicking” on hypertext links. Often, the user has to navigate among a series of intervening web pages to access the desired resource. For example, the user may enter the URI for a news agency's Internet home page, click on a hypertext link for the news agency's business section web page, and then click on another hypertext link for the international travel web page in order to access an online currency conversion application provided by the news agency.
Browser applications may be provided with various tools that allow the user to more readily access a desired resource without having to step through a series of intervening web pages. For example, the browser application may automatically record a “history” of the user's navigation. The user may also manually “bookmark” particular resources. The user may revisit a particular resource, e.g., by selecting the resource from a “history” list or from a “favorites” list. The browser application may also include an “autocomplete” function, wherein the browser application suggests resources from the user's history or favorites lists as the user types the URI of a particular resource, e.g., in the browser's address field. A “dropdown” menu of resources may also be displayed based on the user's history or favorites lists adjacent the address field from which the user may select the desired resource.
While these tools allow the user to directly access a desired resource, these tools are often time-consuming and may be confusing for the user. For example, the history or favorites lists may become populated with URIs for many different resources. In addition, the history or favorites lists are typically disconnected from the current user tasks and therefore are not presented in an order that is context sensitive. Accordingly, it may be difficult for the user to readily identify a desired resource. In addition the user interface of these tools is not closely integrated with the browsing interface which increases the effort required to access resources. The user often just ignores these tools and the user continues to repeat navigation steps and browse among series of intervening web pages to access a desired resource.